Nutcracker



Dec. 16, 1930.

C. B. REPP NUTCRACKER Original Filed Marh 12, 9

R O T. M 5 M Pp c Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES CLINTON B. REPIP,OF TLAINFIELD, NEWJERSEY NUTORACKER Application filed March 12, 1926,Serial No. 94,151.

culty of removing the kernel from the shell,

commercial scale, is so great,

which is very thick and tough, and the wastagethrough the crushing ofthe kernel when this is attempted to be done'mechanically on a(amounting to sixty percent or more) thatthe industrial use of the oilhas been greatly curtailed, since it cannot be produced at asufiiciently low figure to compete with similar vegetable oils such ascocoanut oil.

With the above conditions in mind, I have devised a machine which inaddition to its capability er handling large quantities of cohune nuts,will crack the shell thereof so as to either separate, or permit aconvenient separation of, the kernel therefrom with a wastage so smallas to permit the economical handling of such nuts in the production ofoil. The subsequent treatment of the kernels of the nuts in theproduction of oil, does not differ materially from methods heretoforeemployed, and theyield of oil and its quality will be relatively higherthan that from other sources such as copra.

,Furthermore, the removal of the kernels in a machine embodying theinvention, will be so rapid that the conditioning thereof for thepresses will be more economical than with the cocoanut, and thesubsequent treatment for'purification of the oil by reason ofcharacteristics inherent to the cohune nut, will contribute toward theeconomical production of oil for use either as an oil, or forhydrogenation, for industrial purposes.

he machine of my invention is so constructed that it-will simultaneouslycrack the shells of a plurality of nuts, and will develop the highcrushin power necessary tocrack the shell of a col une nut, which willrange Renewed Apri1 25, 1930.

from one-half to three-quarters of a ton, without subjecting a materialpercentage of the kernels of the nut to any crushing strains, nor exceptin a very small percentage of cases, the mutilation of the kernel byseparated fragments of the shells.

To secure the above results, I so construct the machine as to limit itscrushing action to that necessary to break the shell, and afford aboutthe nut while it is subjected to this crushing strain, suflicient spacefor the escape of portions of the shell immediately that the shell isbroken. The operation of the machine is entirely automatic, and theconditions are such that the machine cannot be clogged as a result ofimproper feeding of the nuts thereto.

I have found it desirable to provide means by which the crackingelements of the machine may be ,so set as to operate only upon nuts of acertain size, and to incorporate in each machine-a-plurality of units,each having cracking elements combined with an automatic screeningdevice which will permit the handling of the nuts in bulk and theirautomatic grading as to size, the separate units being adapted tooperate upon different sizes of nuts, and means being provided wherebynuts of that particular size only will be autop matically delivered fromthe screening device to the nut cracking unit.

The invention consists primarily in a nut crackerembodying therein arotatable cylinder having pocket forming means projecting substantiallyradially from the perimeter 80 thereof and extending continuously forsubstantially the full length of the cylinder, an idly mounted, heavycylinder adjacent but spaced away from said first named cylinder,and-means rotating said first named cylinder, the pockets formed by saidradially extend ing. means being relatively greater peripherally of thecylinder than thedimensions of a nut to be cracked, and of a length tosimultaneously accommodate a plurality of nuts,v

whereby all of the nuts in each pocket will be readjusted in a pocket sothat with continued rotation of said rotatable cylinder each nut will bebrought to a position to be engaged at three points thereof by saidcylinders, and said radially extending means, and the crushing powerwill be applied at a substantially single point during the rotation ofsaid cylinder, and portions of the shell and the cracked nut during, andimmediately following, the application of the crushing strains will passfrom the operative relation to both of said cylinders; and in such othernovel features of construction and combination of parts as arehereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed outin the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a machine embodying my invention, having fourunits; and

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing one of thecracking units upon a larger scale, and in cross-section.

Like letters refer to like parts in both of said views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the machineincludes four cracking units A, B, C and D, each of which is of the sameconstruction as the other, although as will more fully appearhereinafter, the different units are so set as to operate upon nuts ofdiflerent sizes. Experience has demonstrated that cohune nuts will notvary materially in size and that four units with a power to graduatedvariance in setting of one-eighth of an inch will provide workingconditions in the machine which will accommodate it to the entire rangeof sizes of such nuts.

Since each of the units is a duplicate ofthe others, a description ofbut one unit is necessar A suitable frame a has mounted in bearingbrackets a'-'a2, a power shaft 6 carrying a worm gear 0. This shaft iscommon to al units in the machine. Power is applied to the worm gear aby a worm shaft 03 having mount ed thereon a heav fly wheel 6 which mayalso be used as a pulley for applyin'g'power to the shaft d. The use ofa fly wheel is desirable becausethe various cracking units while theyhave continuous movement, nevertheless op erate only intermittently incracking the nuts, and the momentum of this wheel'willassist uponthe'instant of application of crushing the nuts in the various crackingunits.

Carried by the shaft 7) is a cylinder 7 preferably a solid metalliccylinder of a length to have its opposite end plates f'-f2 close to thebearing brackets a-a2 of the frame (1. About the perimeter of thiscylinder 7 are a plurality of pocket forming means comprisingsubstantially radially extending projecting ribs g, the length of eachof these pockets of the cylinder being relatively greater than anydimension of the cohune nuts to be cracked, and the height of the ribs 9from the perimeter of the cylinder being relatively less than thedimensions of any nut to be cracked.

. When nuts are cracked in a machine, the crushing stresses are suchthat there is a tendency of the shell of the nut to be projected inalmost any direction, and small particles of the shell maybecome sobunched as to cause the mutilation of the kernel of the nut.Notwithstanding that considerable space is afforded about the nut topermit the escape of such particles, wastage in the cracking of nuts mayoccur from this condition. In order to reduce this wastage as much aspossible, I provide the cylinder 7 with recesses or grooves upon theforward, or upon both sides, of each radially extending projecting rib gand close thereto, thus afiording additional space into which smallerparticles of the shell of the nut may extend or fall and peripherallythus reduce to a minimum likelihood of the v injury to the kernelby suchparticles. Such grooves are shown at h and h in the drawings, one uponeach side of each radially projecting rib.

The ribs 9 must ossess considerable strength, and must be 'rmly securedto the cylindrical member 1'. I preferably form slots about saidcylinder ext-ending well within same and so construct the ribs that theywill have a driving fit within these slots, thus becoming practically anintegral portion of the cylinder. 7

Also mounted in the bearing plates 11 and (12 of the frame forming apart of each unit is an idler cylinder 11, said cylinder being ofrelatively smaller diameter than the cylinder 7 and its ribs 9, andbeing so set as not to be engaged by said ribs.

The arbors z" of the cylinder 6 are mount- 1 ed in bearing blocks 7' andj movable in slots in the flanges a and a2, and are each acted upon byright and left adjusting screws 70-71: screw-threaded in said bearingblocks respectively and rotatably mounted in the flanges a or a2. Bythus mounting the cylinder 2', it may not only be adjusted to take upwear, but it may be so set as to position it reasonably accuratel withperimeter of the cylin er 7 to accommodate the unit to nuts ofapproximately a single size.

- The cylinder 5 by reason of the severe wear upon it, and also toretard its rotation for the purpose to be hereinafter more particu-.larly referred to, is made of heavy metal stock. I

The diameter of the end flanges f and f2 is such as to bring themsubstantially flush with the top of the ribs 9.

Adjacent and above the cracking units A, B, C and D, is a hopper madapted to receive relation to the v passing through the screen to therespective cracking units A, B, C and D. Any desired form of gradinscreen may be used, and any desired mechanism for vibrating same for thepurpose of ensurin the desired agitation of the nuts deliveredthereupon, may be emplo ed. v

Beneat the various cracker units is a receiving hopper p into which thecracked nuts fall.

The operation of the herein described nut cracker is substantiall asfollows While a machine 0 my invention, by reason of the necessaryrigidity of various parts, will possess considerable weight, itnevertheless may, if desired, be mounted upon a vehicle and transportedto the forests in which the cohune nuts grow, so that the nuts may begathered directly from the ground and delivered in bulk to the hopper.From this hopper they pass to upon the screen 12.. Nuts .of differentsizes pass through different portions n, n2, a3 and 914 of this screento upon the chutes 0, 0, 02 and 03 respectively, along which they rollto a point where they will pass therefrom to the pockets formed aboutthe perimeter of the cylinder 7 after said pockets have passed thevertical diameter of the cylinder, and as they are approaching thecylinder 2'.

The capacity of said pockets is insufficient to permit more than asingle row of nuts to enter same, and the rapidity with which themachine operates is sufiiciently great to ensure each cracking unithandling the nuts delivered to each pocket from the chute co-operatingtherewith. If too many nuts should be delivered to one pocket, betweensucceedings ribs 9, this will not clog the machine nor interfere withits continued operation, since the excess nuts will be merely forcedeither back upon the screen or into the succeeding pocket by thecylinder 2'.

Since the diameter of the nuts delivered to a crackin unit will alwaysbe greater than the space between the cylinders f and i, (andexperiences demonstrated that thisdistance should be approximatelyone-eighth of an inch less than the diameter of the nuts) the nutscannot escape from the pocket and must be so positioned as to besubjected to the maximum crushing action of the cylinders, whichhowever, is limited to the one-eighth of an inch above referred to.

The nuts being delivered to each pocket will roll therein towards thecylinder 2, until they rest upon the rib 71; forwardly of the pocket,and will thereafter have movement with the cylinder f until suchmovement is arrested by their engagement with the cylinder Followingthis engagement with the cylinder 2', the nuts will be held againstmovement with the cylinder f but will receive a rolling movement fromsaid cylinder which will bring'them to a position where the crushingstresses may be properly applied thereto. During this period thecylinder 11 will have no rotary movement. This action will ultimatelybring one point of the shell of the nuts against the rib g forming therear wall of a pocket, and another point thereof against the cylinder fat the bottom of the pocket, another point thereof being against thecylinder 2". Hence there will be three substantially triangular-1yarranged points of contact of the nut with the cylinders f and i and arib g.

The cylinder 71 being heavy will have substantially no movement whilethe nuts are thus being adjusted in a pocket upon the cylinder 7", untileach nut is positioned as above described. Immediately however, that theparts are in this position, the friction between the nuts in a pocketand the cylinder 2', will cause a turning movement of said cylinder sothat the continued rotation of the two cylinders f and i will cause theportions thereof contacting with the nut to develop a heavy crushingstress thereupon, which will progressively increase as thepoints ofengagement of saidcylinders with the nut approach the horizontaldiameters of these cylinders. With the cylinder 2' spaced substantiallyone eighth of an inch closer to the cylinder f than the diameter of thenut to be cracked, the crushing stresses will be limited to the shell'ofthe nut and will be immediately relieved when the points of contactbetween the nut and the cylinders f and 2' pass the horizontal diameter,thus permittingthe crushed nuts and fragments of the shell broken awayfrom the kernels, and the kernels themselves to drop within the hopperp.

While I have referred to the grading of the cohune nuts into fourgrades, it will be understood that nuts in the different grades willvary slightly in diameter so as to permit the effective cracking of anumber of nuts in each unit substantially simultaneously. In the form ofthe invention shown, the length of the cylinders f and 2' issuflicientlygreat to receive seven nuts at a time in each pocket,

there being seven pockets about the cylinder 7". The manner ofdelivering the nuts is not such as to positively ensure the completefilling of every pocket, although the operation of the machine is suchthat the number of nuts to be cracked at one time will be limited to thecapacityof each pocket in the cylinder, and a failure to completely filleach pocket is merely occasional and not general.

While a breaking down of the shell ordi- I narily occurs as a row of.nuts passes the horizontal diameters of the cylinders f and z, or

when the perimeters of these two cylinders are positioned the closestone to the other, with slightly over-sized nuts the shells may becracked before they reach this position. However, the point ofapplication of great est pressure to the nut will be applied ata singlepoint, or along a single narrow line.

of the two cylinders. Hence the divergence of the surfaces of saidcylinders as they pass the point of greatest crushing strain, and thespace in each pocket in advance ofthe nut, will permit the rapiddischarge of the cracked nut to within the hopper p. The portions of theshell which are broken from the kernel adjacent the angle between a rib9 against which the nut is forced, and the cylinder f, cannot readilyescape, however, and it is for this reason that I provide the recess hto afford additional clearance at this point in order to avoidlikelihood of particles of the shell mutilating the kernel of the nut.

Highly satisfactory results may be obtained with a ratio of the wormgear 0 to the worm shaft d, and a speed of the latter which will imparta speed of 60 R. P. M. to the cylinder f, thus permitting the crackingof a maxi mum of about three thousand nuts per minute.

Any nuts which are under-sized will simply pass between, the twocylinders f and i without being cracked and will have no effect ofclogging the machine.

WVhile the cylinder f is rotated continuously the cylinder 11 willrotate only intermittently, thus serving to retard the movement of thenuts with the cylinder f in the manner heretofore described, andproperly position the nuts to be cracked. Furthermore, the applicationof the crushing stresses will be only momentary as to the nuts in eachpocket, thus requiring merely the intermittent application of the powerfor crushing purposes. The interval between succeeding applications ofsaid stresses, although slight, will nevertheless permit the developmentof momentum in the fly wheel 6 so as to permit the power of this wheelto assist to overcome the sudden resistance to the free rotation of theshaft 0 4 and cylinder 7" resulting from the application of crushingstresses to the nuts.

The capacity of the cylinder f as given is not essential to the machine,since the dimensions of the cylinders f and i and the power factor maybe varied, the given capacity of each unit being that which I have foundto give satisfactory results. The use of a shaft 0 common to all of thecylinders f is also a mere mechanical expedient.

It is not my in ention to limit the invention to the precise details ofconstruction shown in the drawings, it being apparent that such may bevaried without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what Iv claim as new and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent, is I 1. A nut cracker embodying therein ar0- tatable cylinder having pocket forming means projectingsubstantially radially from the perimeter thereof and extendingcontinuously for substantially the full length of the cylinder, an idlymounted, heavy cylinder adjacent but spaced away from said first namedcylinder, and means rotating said first named cylinder, the pocketsformed by said radially extending means being relatively greaterperipherally of the cylinder than the dimensions of a nut to be crackedand of a length to F simultaneously accommodate a plurality of nuts,whereby all of the nuts in each pocket will be read usted in a pocket sothat with continued rotation of said rotatable cylinder each nut will bebrought to a position to be engaged at three points thereof by saidcylinders, and said radially extending means, and the crushing powerwill be applied at a substantiallysinglc point during the rotation ofsaid cylinder, and portions of the shell and the cracked nut during, andimmediately following, the application of the crushing strains will passfrom the operative relation to both of said cylinders.

2; A nut cracker embodying therein a rotatable cylinder having endplates thereon and pocket forming means projecting substantiallyradially from the perimeter thereof and extending uninterruptedly fromend plate to end plate of said cylinder, and of substantially the sameheight assaid end plates, a heavy cylinder idly mounted adjacent butspaced away from said first named cylinder, and means rotating saidfirst named cylinder, the pockets formed by said radially extendingmeans being relatively greater peripherally of the cylinder than thedimensions of a nut to be cracked and of a length to simultaneouslyaccommodate a plurality of nuts, whereby all of the nuts in each pocketwill be readjusted in a pocket so that with continued rotation of saidrotatable cylinder each nut will be brought to a po sition to be engagedat three points thereof. by said cylinders. and said radially extendlngmeans, and the crushing power will be applied at a substantially singlepoint during the rotation of said cylinder, and portionsof the shell andthe cracked nut during, and immediately following, the application ofthe crushing strains will pass from the operative relation to both ofsaid cyltherein a roder, and means rotating said first named cylinder,the pockets formed by said radially extending means being relativelygreater peripherally of the cylinder than the dimensions of a nut to becracked and of a length to'simultaneously accommodate a plurality ofnuts, whereby all of the nuts in each pocket will be readjusted in apocket so that with continued rotation of said rotatable cylinder eachnut will be brought to a position to be engaged at three points thereofbysaid cylinders, and said radially extending means,v

and the crushing power will be applied at a substantially single pointduring the rotation of said cylinder, and portions of the shell and thecracked nut during, and immediately following, the application of thecrushing strains will pass from the operative relation to both of saidcylinders.

4.' A nut cracker embodying therein a rotatable cylinder, a plurality ofribs spaced peripherally, and extending longitudinally for substantiallythe full length of said cylinder and projecting substantially radiallyfrom the perimeter thereof, an'idly mounted, heavy cylinder adjacent butspaced away from said first named cylinder, and means rotating saidfirst'named cylinder, the pockets formed bysaid radially extending ribsbeing relatively greater peripherally of the cylinder than thedimensions of a nut to be cracked and of a length to simultaneouslyaccommodate a plurality of nuts, whereby all of the nuts in each pocketwill be readjusted in a pocket so that with continued ro tation of saidrotatable cylinder each nut will be brought to a position to be engagedatthree points thereof by said cylinders, and said radiallyextendingribs, and the crushing power will be applied at a substantiallysingle point during the rotation of said cylinder, and portions of theshell and the cracked nut during, and immediately following, theapplication of the crushing strains will pass from the operativerelation to both of said cylinders.

5. A nut cracker embodying therein a rotatable cylinder, a plurality ofribs. spaced peripherally, and extending longitudinally forsubstantially the full length of saidcylinder and projectingsubstantially radially from the perimeterthereof, said cylinder ad-.jacent said ribs respectively having a long1-' tudinally extendingrecess to preventthe accumulation of particles ofshells within the anglebetween said ribs and the perimeter of said cylinder, anidly mounted,heavy cyl-- inder adjacent but spaced away from said first, namedcylinder, and, means rotatlng said first named cylinder, the pocketsformed by said radially extending ribs being relatively greaterperipherally of the cylinder than the dimensions of a nut to be cracked,wherebyeach nut will be readjusted m a pocket so that with continuedrotation of ing, and immediately following,

brought to a position to be engaged at three points thereof by saidcylinders, and said radially extending ribs, and the crushing power willbe applied at a substantiall single point during the rotation of said cyinder, and portions of the shell and the cracked nut during, andimmediately following, the application of the crushing strains will passfrom the operative relation to both of said cylinders.

6. A nut cracker embodying therein a rotatable cylinder having pocketforming means projecting substantially radially from the perimeterthereof and extending continuously for substantially the full length ofthe cylinder, inder adjacent but spaced away from said first namedcylinder, a shaft carried by said first named cylinder, a worm earthereon, a worm shaft cooperating witfi gear, and a weighted fly wheelupon said worm shaft, the pockets formed by said ra dially extendingmeans being relatively greater peripherally of the cylinder than thedimensions of a nut to be cracked and of a length to simultaneouslyaccommodate a plurality of nuts, whereby all of the nuts in each pocketwill be readjusted in a pocket so that with continued rotation of saidr0- tatable cylinder each nut will be brought to a position to beengaged at three points thereof by said cylinders, and said radiallyextending means, and the crushing power will be applied atasubstantially single point during the rotation of said cylinder, andportions of the shell and the cracked nut .durthe application of thecrushing strains will pass from Ellie operative relation to both of saidcyliners.

7 A nut cracker embodying therein a rotatable cylinder, a plurality ofribs spaced peripherally, and extending longitudinally for substantiallythe full length of said cylinder and projecting substantially radiallyfrom the perimeter thereof, said cylinder. adjacent said ribsrespectively having a longitudinally extending recess to prevent. theaccumulation of particles of shells within the angle between said ribsand the perimeter dially extending ribs being relatively greaterperipherally of the, cylinder than the dimensions of a nut to becracked, whereby each nut will-be readjusted in a pocket so that withcontinued rotation of said rotatable cylinder each nut will be brought.to a posaid worm sitionto be engaged at three points-therebf by saidcylinders, and said radially extending ribs, and the crushing power willbe applied at a substantially single point during the rotation of saidcylinder, and portions of the shell and the cracked nut during, andimmediately following, the application of the crushing strains will passfrom the operative relation to both of said cylinders.

8. A nut cracker embodying therein a rotatable cylinder, a pluralityofribs spaced peripherally, and extending longitudinally from end plate toend plate, of said cylinder and projecting substantially radially from.the perimeter thereof, said cylinder adjacent said ribs respectivelyhaving a longitudinally extending recess to prevent the accumulation ofparticles of shells within the angle between said ribs and the perimeterof said cylinder, a heavy .cylinder idly mounted adjacent but spacedaway from said first named cylinder, and means rotating said first namedcylinder, the pockets formed by said radially extending ribs beingrelatively greater peripherally of the cylinder than the dimensions of anut to be cracked, whereby each nut will be readjusted in a pocket sothat with continued rotation of said rotatable cylinder each nut will bebrought to a position to be engaged at three points thereof by saidcylinders, and said radially extending ribs, and the crushing power willbe applied at a substantially single point during the rotation of saidcylinder, and portions of the shell and the cracked nut during, andimmediately following, the application of the crushing strains will passfrom the operative relation to both of said cylinders.

9. A nut cracker embodying therein a r0 tatable cylinder, a plurality ofribs spaced peripherally, and extending longitudinally for substantiallythe full length of said cvlinder and projecting substantially radiallyfrom the perimeter thereof, said cylinder adjacent said ribsrespectively having a longipower will be applied at a substantiallysingle point during the rotation of said cylinder, and portions of theshell and the cracked nut during, and immediately following, theapplication of the crushing strains will pass from the operativerelation to both of said cylinders.

In witness whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature, this 8rd day ofFebruary, 1926.

Y CLINTON B. REPP.

tudinally extending recess to prevent the accumulation of particles ofshells within the angle between said ribs and the perimeter of saidcylinder, a heavy cylinder adjacent but spaced away from said firstnamed cylinder, bearing blocks in which said last named'cylinder is idlymounted, means operative upon said blocks, whereby said heavy cylindermay be adjusted toward or from said first named cylinder, and meansrotating said first named cylinder, the pockets formed by said radiallyextending ribs being relatively greater peripherally ofthe cylinder thanthe dimensions of a nut to be cracked, whereby each nut will bereadjusted in a ocket so that with continued rotation of said rotatablecylinder each nut will be brought to a position to be engaged at threepoints thereof by said cylinders, and said radially extending ribs, andthe crushing

